Even as the pressures of the semester are winding down for most students and everyone gearing up for summer activities, I want to make sure that everyone is still keeping NCECA on their minds. Now is the time for thinking about how you want to shape your future and your ideas, NCECA wants to give you the opportunity to focus these ideas and share your thoughts and energy with everyone. As a community run organization, everyone is welcome to help form our content, and students play just as vital of a role as anyone else. Not quite sure exactly what Student Interests content is? Mary Cloonan, NCECA’s Programs Director, explains it in her “Apply Yourself!” post (Read the full article here): Apply Yourself!

As a graduate student I have had a lot of life experiences, both good and bad, and feel like I have a story to tell. I was in China when I when I applied for my first NCECA lecture, as I realized how important travel and studying abroad was for my art practice and myself. Why would I not want to share my experiences and my collection of ideas if I thought it could help other, or inspire new ideas?

This is the best opportunity for students to share themselves in a meaningful way, and all too often students don’t take advantage of this wonderful chance. Do you have a project, collaboration, or just an experience you want to share? Who better to tell the stories you want to hear at NCECA than you? The application deadline for Student Perspective program proposals is September 6th, 2017 for the 52nd Annual Conference CrossCurrents: Clay and Culture in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Link to application:) Student Interests Programming Proposals.
Mark your calendars and I hope to hear your story in Pittsburgh.

-If you have any questions or concerns you can email either NCECA Student Director at Large, Naomi Clements or Myself: ncecasdal@gmail.com
-Brandon Schnur
Graduate Student, West Virginia University
Student Director at Large 2017- 2019

Not only is our upcoming conference upon us, we find ourselves in need of new Board members for the 2017-2020 term. So, it is election time again for NCECA, and we hope all of our members will participate by casting their vote to help us fill our soon-to-be vacant Board positions for a Director at Large and a Student Director at Large.

It is now our fourth year with electronic voting, so hopefully we all feel comfortable now with this method. Voter numbers skyrocketed last year, so we are confident that this is best way to allow all our members a chance to vote easily and safely for the candidates of their choice.

All NCECA members should be on the lookout for our ballot email, sent on March 3, 2017 from NCECA via SurveyMonkey. This email will contain a personalized link to your ballot. Click on the link that says “Vote Now” to cast your vote. It is that easy. No need to remember tricky passwords, or to search for specific websites. Just click the link, select your candidates, and submit your vote. Easy as pie (which we definitely approve of as your reward for voting!).

One of the strengths of the NCECA Board is that, with our staggered terms, the Board is always changing. If helping govern NCECA, planning conferences, and working to shape the future of our field sounds interesting to you, we would love to have you as part of our team. Stop by the NCECA table at the conference, and introduce yourself to a current board member. We would love to meet you, and get you more involved in NCECA. (Click here to see who is currently serving, and please do say hello: http://nceca.net/about-us-2/current-directors-and-staff/)

2017 voting requirements nitty-gritty

Here is what you need to know…

This year, NCECA is holding elections to fill two positions on its Board of Directors: Director at Large (DAL) and Student Director at Large (SDAL). To learn more about the DAL and SDAL positions, to watch brief candidate videos, see headshots, and to read our candidates bios, click here: http://nceca.net/board-candidates/

The NCECA board, under advisement by the nominations committee, has approved two nominees for Director at Large. Candidates for Student Director at Large are not subject to board ratification, but must meet the requirements for student status.

Only current NCECA members can vote. Please verify your membership status before you make an effort to vote for 2017 candidates. NCECA memberships expire one year from the date on which they were purchased or last renewed. The primary contact of Business, Institutional and Gallery memberships will be the individual who is eligible to cast a vote on behalf of their entities.

Remember, membership is separate from conference fees, and only current members will have access to an e-ballot. (Click here to become a member today: https://www.netforumpro.com/eweb/StartPage.aspx?Logoff=Yes&Site=nceca

Elections will open March 3, 2017 and will be conducted via SurveyMonkey. All current members prior to March 1, 2017 will receive an evite to vote.

Please watch your email for our SurveyMonkey link to vote. If you are a member, and do not receive an email link, or have any questions about this election, contact candice@nceca.net or joberman.nceca@gmail.com to receive your evite to vote.

All votes must be cast via SurveyMonkey no later than 4pm, Friday, March 24, 2017. If you become an NCECA member while at conference, please see Candice at registration to get set up for voting at that time.

Election winners will be announced at the close of the second members’ business meeting on the final day of the Portland conference, Saturday, March 25, 2017.

Please note that the deadline for all self- and peer-nominations for board positions has passed. Nominations will no longer be accepted from the floor during the conference at the first members’ business meeting at the annual conference. If you missed the deadline this year, please consider running for a board position in 2018. We would love to have you join our team!

NCECA is currently recruiting mentors for our Student Critique room at the Portland conference.

How it works: Mentors volunteer for one or more 30 minute time slots, when they will be available to meet one-on-one with students to give them a critique of their work. Students come prepared with digital images of their work for the critique. Students and mentors then have 30 minutes to discuss the work, and other professional concerns/questions the student may have.

Who can sign up: Maybe you are a ceramics professor at a post-secondary institution, maybe you teach community classes, are a studio potter, installation artist, arts professional, or gallery owner… The main requirement is that you are eager to give back to the next generation of makers.

Why should you sign up: Because you will change a student’s life. No, this isn’t hyperbole – you really will. The student critiques are a big highlight of the conference for many students. In fact, we’ve already been getting lots of emails from eager students hoping to sign up.

When: The student critique room will be open Thursday and Friday March 23 & 24, 2017 from 9:00 am – 4:30 pm in room in room C124 of the Oregon Convention Center in Portland.

Sign up now: It is easy to sign up, Click Here for more information and to see a list of time slots available.

If you are interested in participating, but have questions, please contact NCECA Student Director at Large Naomi Clement at naominceca@gmail.com.

Stop procrastinating, and apply now for the National Student Juried Exhibition! This year’s exhibition will be held in conjunction with the 2017 conference Future Flux at the Hoffman Gallery at Oregon College of Art and Craft, March 4 – 28, 2017.

Take the opportunity to have your work viewed by this year’s jurors, Linda Arbuckle and Justin Novak. Last years exhibition featured works by 56 artists including graduate, undergraduate and post-bac students. In addition to the opportunity to showcase your work on a national stage the NSJE also features over a dozen awards.

The process is easy; simply follow this link for the application guidelines. Apply HERE!

Usually my “Inside NCECA” column comes out on Saturday, but I just couldn’t wait until then to tell you all about this year’s NCECA App. Filled with information about programming, presenters, exhibitions, KC restaurants & hotspots, maps, bus tours, important dates, plus opportunities to connect year round, the NCECA App just gets better each year. Here’s a helpful video on the basics and some of the personalized features of the app. And be sure to follow the blog daily for a few more fun features to be revealed along the way…or hunt them down yourself, like an easter egg hunt! Honing those skills may prove useful as the conference approaches….stay tuned for more, in the meantime, settle in for this short video, and then have fun exploring the NCECA App! (Available for your mobile device on Google Play and iTunes. For the Web App Version, click here!)

Sign-up TODAY! Click on the image above for a link to the Online Sign-up.

I hope you are just as excited as I am about this year’s conference in Kansas City! Are you looking for a fresh pair of eyes and a new perspective? Mentors from all over the country are ready to review your portfolio at the Student Critique Room.

Critiques will be 25 minutes long, with a 5 minute break between each session.

Signups will take place both ONLINE and in person on Wed, March 16th from 1 to 5 pm in Lobby 2300 (Bartle Hall – Level2). Sign up is on a first come/first served basis so sign up NOW! Follow this LINK to find a time slot that fits your schedule. Sign-ups for any remaining slots will be posted outside of the Student Critique Room on Thursday morning.

Please come to the conference with your images already prepared and saved to a flash drive. All critiques will be of digital images; please do not bring actual artwork. Laptops will be provided, but NCECA does not provide Internet access in the Student Critique Room. If you have any questions about the Student Critique Room, contact: shalyamarshnceca@gmail.com.